With over 175 clubs and organizations to choose from, Longwood students wanting to get involved on campus, participate in community service events and make new friends have an overwhelming number of options available.
The Involvement Fair is on Thursday, August 31st, from 4-6 p.m. on Spruce Street in front of Curry and Frazer Residence Halls. Students who attend will be able to learn about the systems, organizations, Greek life societies and clubs run at Longwood University. The fair will be the class of 2021's first opportunity for an introduction into the different affairs at Longwood.
“There is a club for everyone here at Longwood,” said sophomore class vice president Natalie Cox. Cox also serves as a senator with the Student Government Association, a contributing writer for The Odyssey Online and a public relations representative for the student radio station, WMLU.
Even with four organizations to her name, she's still interested in joining other clubs as well.
Since all clubs are student-run, options for involvement encompass a range of interests, from graphic design and anime to specific academic disciplines, making it easier for any student to fit in. There are also clubs for those with talents such as singing and dancing as well.
Longwood also hosts an active Greek community; there are social, academic, religious and service fraternities and sororities, like Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi Omega, Sigma Nu, and Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. According to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life - who oversees the 21 social Greek chapters on campus, their goal is to “promote scholarship, philanthropy, brotherhood, sisterhood, and social activities.”
Some other major student organizations on campus are Lancer Productions, the organization responsible for planning events around Longwood, Longwood Ambassadors, the tour guides who help out with admission, Chi Alpha, a Christian organization, Lancer Lunatics, who promote school spirit, and all 22 sports club options.
Some lesser known clubs are Longwood March of Dimes, a club dedicated to helping premature babies, Alternative Breaks, a group that allows you to complete community service during your spring, fall or winter breaks, and AMOR, a club dedicated to fundraise for orphanages throughout Latin America. Other options include the Anime Club, Baking Club, Black Student Association, the Chess Club and Operation Smile Club.
“Interested in politics? Then join a political club. Interested in writing? Then join a writing club. Interested in community service? Then join a community service club,” Cox said. “There’s literally anything you can imagine that will satisfy your passion.”
For politics, there is a Longwood for Liberty (Libertarians) Club, College Democrats of Longwood University and College Republicans of Longwood University.
“One of the best ways to get in contact with these clubs is to attend the involvement fair, or search them on LancerLink,” Cox said.
If a student is not able to meet at the Involvement Fair, then Cox highly encourages them to go search the clubs and organizations they are interested in on LancerLink, a website run by Longwood University where students can learn and sign up for clubs.
